


Sins of the Father

by MaybeItWasMemphis



Category: Sons of Anarchy
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Late 90's Happy, Romance, Serial Killers, Smut
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-19
Updated: 2021-02-22
Packaged: 2021-03-08 22:35:12
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 11
Words: 5,266
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27094402
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MaybeItWasMemphis/pseuds/MaybeItWasMemphis
Summary: He may be known as the Tacoma Killer, but Mercy’s father still held the murderous crown.
Relationships: Happy Lowman/Original Female Character(s)
Comments: 20
Kudos: 49





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I don’t own Sons of Anarchy and the serial killer mentioned in this story is completely fictional although he is heavily based on the very real Ted Bundy.

****

_“What did her daddy do? What did he put you through?”_

**~ Aerosmith, Janie’s Got A Gun**

** January 25, 1999 **

** Tacoma, Washington **

Mercy looked up from her social studies homework when she heard the bell over the diner’s front door ringing, alerting her to the fact that she had a customer. This was unusual. It was a cold and rainy (more than usual) winter morning after the breakfast rush and before the lunch time crowd moved in. Mercy was used to having this time to herself to study for her SATs. The diner was owned by Mercy’s mother and she was the only other employee besides the cook, Austin who never left the kitchen because he was highly anti-social. Looking towards the entrance, she was surprised to find not one customer, but five. And they weren’t the usual sort of hipster customer they normally got. These five men looked like bikers. All were dressed in baggy jeans and black leather vests with images of the grim reaper on them. No. Friggin. Way. These men were members of the Sons of Anarchy motorcycle club. The MC had a reputation in Tacoma, but it wasn’t a good one. Given the colorful background that Mercy came from, it wasn’t a surprise that she was fascinated by the stories she heard around town of a member of the club nicknamed the Tacoma Killa. She’s heard more than one story of this hitman from friends and customers to the diner.

The tall, bald biker was the one who approached the counter.

“Can I help you?” Mercy shot him what she hoped was a friendly smile.

“Uh, yeah, can I get 5 of the lunch specials delivered to the table in the back, please?” The biker was way more polite than I would have expected.

“Sure,” I nodded. “I’ll put in that order and be by to get your drink orders just a few minutes.”

The attractive man, who had to be in his mid-to-late 20’s gave me a small smile and a nod.

I made my way to the kitchen to talk to Austin, who hadn’t had a customer in over an hour. “Hey, I need 5 club sandwiches and an equal number of onion rings.”

“We have customers?” Austin had been leaning against a counter reading a book. This news took him by surprise. “Damn, I thought I’d get more time to read today.”

“I’m just as surprised as you are,” Mercy replied. “But guess what?

“What?”

“Their sons.”

Austin looked at her in confusion. “All men are.” He nodded.

Mercy rolled her eyes. “No, they’re members of the Sons of Anarchy.”

“Do I need to come out there with you?” He was suddenly alarmed. Austin had to be worried if he was offering to leave the sanctuary that was his precious kitchen.

“No, we’re good. They’re being polite,” I assured him.


	2. Chapter 2

After putting the group’s order in with Austin, Mercy grabbed her order pad from beside the register and made her way to the group of bikers in the back. The group was hunched over and seemed to be discussing something important but once the cute bald one spotted her, he quickly silenced his buddies.

Mercy internally rolled her eyes. “Hi, guys. My name’s Marcy and your orders will be out in just a couple of minutes. What can I get you to drink?”

The bald man seemed to be studying her as she took down their drink orders. “You’re not scared of us.”

Mercy smirked. ‘Buddy, if you only knew.’ “Should I be?”

“No,” he shook his head.

“Then this is a pretty dumb conversation, isn’t it?” Mercy smirked at him.

That caused the gruff biker’s buddy to burst out in laughter.

***

The group of bikers ended up becoming weekly customers. The cute bald one who Mercy had learned to call Happy, he became a daily customer. He always came in alone in the late morning when he was sure to be her only customer. He wasn’t the talkative type but the two of them had become familiar with one another if not friends.

“Mercy, how old are you?” Happy asked her a few months after he had started coming in.

“I’ll be 21 next week,” Mercy answered him as she set a coke in front of him.

Happy was visibly surprised. “I thought you were still in high school. You always have that SAT book in front of you.”

Mercy gave an uncomfortable giggle. “I dropped out when I was 16. Got my GED last spring and I’m sitting for my SAT’s on Monday. I’m trying to get into this program for adult students at the University of Washington.” She tucked some of her long, wavy black hair behind her ear.

“You have a cell phone?”

“No,” Mercy laughed. That convenience was way outside of her budget. “I only have a pager.” And that was only really because her mom was paranoid.

“Give me the number.”

“Why?” Mercy blurted out.

Happy smirked. “I’m riding to Cali tonight with my club. I’ll miss you.” He shrugged.

Mercy was shocked into silence. She took her order pad out of her apron and wrote her pager number down on the back of a ticket.


	3. Chapter 3

Mercy had almost forgotten that she had given Happy her pager number until she received a page on Monday night just as she was getting into bed. The callback number contained a California area code. Grabbing the cordless phone off of the charger base on her bedside table, she called the number.

“How’d you do?” Happy answered on the second ring.

“Huh?” He couldn’t answer the phone like a normal person? She had had a long day, so he managed to confuse the hell out of her.

“Your SAT’s, little girl,” Happy sounded amused.

“I have to wait 4 to 6 weeks to get the results.” Mercy finally caught the clue train. Had he seriously called just to ask about that? The man just kept getting weirder and weirder. “And you can’t be that much older than me, so don’t call me little girl.”

“I’m 28, so almost a decade older, baby.”

So, a few years older than she had expected. It wasn’t too big an age gap and he looked damn good for his age. “Why did you want me to call, Happy?”

“Your birthday’s this week. I wanted to know when.”

“Friday.”

“You got plans?”

“Birthdays aren’t that big a deal in my family,” Marcy explained. “I get the day off, some flowers from my mom, and we go to lunch.”

“How about you let me take you to dinner than?”

That was a tempting offer, but it wasn’t nice to let him walk into something blond. Unlike her father, Mercy had a conscience. She took a deep breath. “Happy, there’s something about me that you need to know before you go asking me out.”

“I’m all ears, baby.”

“Not over the phone.” She wanted the chance to explain this in person. “When will you be home?”

“Thursday.”

“The diner closes at 10. Come by around then and we’ll talk.” After receiving his confirmation that he’d be there, Mercy rushed him off the phone.

Putting the phone back on the charger, Mercy got on her knees beside her bed. Lifting the green sham, she reached under the bed and pulled out a plain black leather scrapbook. She didn’t open it. She didn’t need to. She got to her feet and set it on top of her dresser.


	4. Chapter 4

“What the hell?” When Mercy arrived in the kitchen on Thursday morning, she found a vase of red roses sitting on the kitchen table. Her birthday wasn’t until the next day, and her mom always got her tulips.

Mercy’s mom, Teagan, turned away from the kink where she had been doing the dishes. “Those came this morning for you.” She wiped her hands on a dishtowel. “From someone named Happy.” She took a small envelope out of her back pocket and handed it to her. “Odd name. I didn’t read it,” she assured her.

Opening the envelope, Mercy pulled out, not a card as she had expected, but a sheet of folded up notebook paper. Curiously, she unfolded it and began to read.

_*** Little girl,_

_I got your address from Austin. Hope you don’t mind. Looking forward to seeing you tonight._

_Happy ***_

Mercy chuckled at his penmanship. “He writes like a serial killer.”

Teagan scowled at her daughter. “That is in no way funny.”

Mercy rolled her eyes.

“Does he know?” Teagan put her hands on her hips. “Who is this guy anyway?”

“A guy I know from the diner, and I’m telling him tonight.”

Teagan snorted. “Well, good luck to you, sweetie.”

***

Mercy had finished her nightly chores and had just said goodnight to Austin as he headed out the back door when she heard the bell on the front door ring.

Heading out into the dining room, Mercy found Happy flipping the sign on the front door to closed and locking it.

“Hey,” she was nervously running her palms on her jeans as she approached him.

“Hey, baby.” He put his hands on her hips and leaned down to kiss her, but Mercy turned her head, so he only caught her cheek with his lips.

“I told you to hold off on anything like that.” Mercy pulled away from him.

Happy was very clearly annoyed. “So how about you start talking? I ain’t real patient.”

Mercy walked over and grabbed the black scrapbook from under the diner counter. “Sit.” She nodded towards Happy’s usual table in the back.


	5. Chapter 5

“What’s this?” Happy motioned towards the scrapbook on the table between them.

“Where I come from.” Mercy opened the scrapbook. On the first page was a newspaper clipping. Then she sat back and allowed him to read.

_*** 10 TH GIRL MISSING, COPS FEAR MULTIPLE MURDERER!_

_According to Tacoma police, Brandy Rowe, 19, has been reported missing from the University of Washington campus. Police say that signs of a struggle were found in Rowe’s dorm room._

_Rowe is the 10 th Tacoma woman to go missing in the last 26 months._

_After the bodies of earlier missing women, Molly Kincaid 21, and Katie Strayer 18, were found in Panther Lake, police suspect a multiple murderer may be loose in the Tacoma area._

_Young women are being urged to travel in groups and to avoid contact with strangers, especially men. Katie Strayer was last seen in the company of a handsome man in his mid to late 20a with dark hair… ***_

Happy just gave Mercy a strange look once he was done reading.

“Turn the page.”

Happy did as she instructed. “Read both articles.”

Happy turned his attention to the first article.

_*** TACOMA GENTLEMAN IDENTIFIED!_

_Police in Tacoma are asking for citizens to be on the lookout for Cameron Clyde, 31, of Tacoma. Clyde has been named as the prime suspect in the Tacoma Gentleman Murders._

_Cameron Clyde stands accused of the sexual assaults and murders of Molly Kincaid, 21, Katie Strayer, 18, and Brandy Rowe, 19, whose body was pulled from Panther Lake last week. Clyde is also suspected in the disappearances of multiple other Tacoma area women. ***_

Mercy watched as Happy turned his head to the second article.

_*** CAMERON CLYDE/TACOMA GENTLEMAN ARRESTED!_

_Cameron Clyde, 31, suspect in the Tacoma Gentleman murders, was arrested Tuesday evening in the home that he shares with his girlfriend, Teagan Nelson, 25, and the couple’s infant daughter…***_

Happy’s head shot up to look at her.

“I’ve always used my mom’s last name, but word always seems to get out,” Mercy huffed bitterly. “I dropped out of high school because people found out who my father was. Being the daughter of a serial killer doesn’t make a girl very popular.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The term ‘serial killer’ wasn’t really used yet in the 1970s. In fact, the term came to be commonly used after the Ted Bundy murders. Before the late 1970s/early 1980s, the term most commonly used by police and the press was ‘multiple murderer.’ I read WAY too many true crime books. Because this story is taking place in 1999, the articles about Mercy’s father would be from the late 70s. Mercy would have been born in 1978.


	6. Chapter 6

“Your pops was the Tacoma Gentleman?” Happy seemed to feel the need to be crystal clear.

Mercy nodded grimly.

“Whatever happened to him?” Happy shocked the hell out of her when he seemed more curious than disgusted.

“He escaped county lockup before his trial and ran off to Texas. Instead of laying low like a smart person would have, he went out on a killing spree in Houston. He ended up getting caught was sentenced to death. He went to the electric chair in 1989.” Marcy gave him the last of the story that she cared to remember.

“Why, exactly, did you drop out of high school, baby?” Happy rubbed his chin.

He was still calling her ‘baby.’ That had to be a good sign, right? Mercy just wished that he’d asking her to relive the past.

“There was this guy in my homeroom class, CJ,” Mercy was playing with the napkin holder and refusing to meet his eye. “I wasn’t interested, but he kept asking me out. This girl, Heather, had a crush on CJ. Even though I kept turning him down…”

“She was a jealous bitch,” Happy guessed.

“Crazy jealous,” Mercy replied, still refusing to look up at him. She was speaking more to the table than she was to him. “Heather’s dad was a Tacoma cop. He told her who my dad was. She told everyone else, and I became the school freak. Then some sick asshole started slipping crime scene photos from my dad’s murders into my locker. The school wouldn’t do anything to help stop it, so I dropped out to work here in the family business.” She waved her hand around lazily. “Besides my mom, Austin, and my regulars like you, I avoid socializing too much. It’s just safer for me that way.”

Happy reached out and took her hand, surprising her enough that Mercy finally looked up at him. “But you’re going back to school now?” He interlocked his fingers with hers.

Mercy blushed and nodded. “The University of Washington is launching this new internet program for adult students to take classes from home. I want to get a degree in business, so I can help my mom run this place.” He still wanted to know about her. This was unexpected. “You’re still interested in me?” She couldn’t stop the question from leaving her mouth.

“Yeah.” Happy’s answer was short and to the point. “Come over here,” he ordered gruffly.

Mercy stood from her seat and walked to his side as Happy pushed his chair back from the table. “I’m not innocent, little girl,” he warned her.

Mercy reached out and tapped the Sons of Anarchy patch on the chest of his kutte. “I’d already guessed as much.”

Happy smirked, grabbing her hand and pulling her to sit on his knee. He reached up and cupped her cheek in his big hand. “I’m taking you out tomorrow night.” It was a gentle order.

Mercy couldn’t keep the happy grin off of her face. “You’re right, you are.”

“Good girl.” He pulled her lips to his and softly kissed her.


	7. Chapter 7

The next morning, Mercy found the usual purple tulips from her mom sitting on her bedside table. She didn’t need to count them to know that the vase contained twenty-two flowers. One for each year of her life and one to grow on. So cheesy, but still, oddly sweet.

Her mom was seated at the kitchen table when Mercy arrived in the kitchen. She had her checkbook open in front of her was paying bills. “Good morning, birthday girl.” She smiled. “What are you up today that you actually put on makeup for it?”

“Lunch with you,” Mercy tried to play it off. It was only a little makeup and it wasn’t like she was all dressed up. She had on her favorite ripped jeans and Korn concert t-shirt. She paired her outfit with her favorite leather boots and had her black hair in a loose braid. It wasn’t any different than what she wore on a daily basis.

Her mom actually had the nerve to laugh at her. “You’re such a liar, Mercy Rose.”

“I am not!” Mercy stomped her foot like a child.

“You are too,” her mom leaned back in her chair and crossed her arms over her chest. “Last year you went to lunch in your Rugrats pajamas. You don’t put on makeup for it.”

Okay. Mercy’s mom had her there. “Fine,” she huffed. “I have a date later.”

The smile left her mom’s face. “Happy, I assume?”

“Yeah,” Mercy mumbled as she poured herself a cup of coffee.

“Did you tell him about your father?” Her mom wouldn’t look at her now. Instead, she focused on stuffing checks into envelopes.

“He doesn’t have a problem with it.” Mercy went about fixing her coffee and hoped her mom would consider the conversation over. She had no such luck.

“Doesn’t surprised me that somebody like Happy Lowman would be just fine dating the daughter of a killer,” her mother almost hissed out her words like a snake.

“How do you know his last name?” Mercy didn’t want to admit it, but even she didn’t know his last name. The fact that her mom knew turned her blood to ice in her veins.

“You’re not the only one who has friends in the diner,” her mom smirked. “While you’re with Happy tonight, ask him about the Son called the Tacoma Killer.” She got to her feet. “I’m going to run to the post office before our lunch date.”

Mercy suddenly found herself dreading their little mother-daughter lunch date. Her mom was in one of her funny moods.


	8. Chapter 8

By the end of lunch with her mom, Mercy was close to tears. To everyone they knew, Mercy and Teagan Nelson were a close, loving mother and daughter. Most of the time, that was true. Then there were days like today when Teagan would get into one of her ‘funny’ moods. These funny moods were likely to occur after any little mention of Mercy’s father. It was like during those moods, Teagan suddenly remembered who Mercy shared half of her DNA with and decided to temporarily hate the ground Mercy walked on. After Teagan’s second comment about her weight, Mercy had had enough and asked to be dropped off at the diner. At least Austin didn’t care what she looked like, and she already had plans to meet Happy there for their date later.

Austin knew what was up the second he saw her face. “Evil mommy came out to play?” He put down the tray he had just served table four with and gave her a sympathetic smile. He never stopped moving. He was the only one working, and it was the end of the lunch rush.

“Yeah. Happy birthday to me.” Mercy sat at the counter and pouted. “What do you know about Happy?”

Austin chuckled as he went about putting together a tray full of BLT sandwiches. “I know he’s a bald biker who has a thing for you. You know I leave the gossip to you and your mom. Why?”

Mercy shook her head just as her pager went off in her purse. “Just something my mom said.” The number on her pager, Mercy had learned the night before, was the phone number of the Sons of Anarchy clubhouse on the outskirts of the city. “I’m gonna go and use the phone in the office.”

Austin rolled his eyes as he picked his tray back up to make a delivery. “Don’t tell Happy I said hi,” he replied sarcastically. “You should really invest in a cell phone, kiddo.”

***

Happy was quick to answer when Mercy called. “Happy birthday, baby.”

“Thanks, Hap.” Mercy tried to keep her voice upbeat but, apparently, she failed miserably.

“What’s the matter, little girl?” There was an edge to Happy’s tone that had not been there before. He really was worried about her.

“Just not getting along with my mom today, no big deal,” she assured him. “I’m hanging out with Austin here at the diner, so I’ll be fine.”

“You’re not hanging out at work on your damn birthday, woman.” Happy said in disapproval. “I’ll be there to get you in twenty minutes."


	9. Chapter 9

Happy was extremely punctual. His bike roared into the parking lot exactly twenty minutes later. Meeting Mercy in the restaurant's back, he didn’t ask her to explain what happened between her and her mom. He had simply kissed her softly before taking her hand. “Let’s go, baby girl.”

Mercy hopped on the back of his bike and trusted him to take her where he pleased. Wrapping her arms around his waist, she rested her head against his back and closed her eyes. As the wind whipped around them, Mercy relaxed and tried to forget.

Happy took her to the Sons of Anarchy clubhouse that sat just outside the city, hidden by trees off a rarely used back road. Mercy was nervous as she dismounted Happy’s bike. She had nothing in common with a bunch of biker dudes.

“Don’t be scared, little girl.” Happy could apparently read her mind. “They already know. Nobody in there has a right to judge, and they don’t. You’re with me. That makes you one of us now.” He wrapped his arm around her waist and lightly kissed her forehead.

Mercy wanted to be angry with him for telling a secret that wasn’t his to tell, but she wasn’t really upset. She couldn’t claim to have an emotion that she wasn’t feeling. In all reality, she was relieved that the biggest secret she carried was already out there.

Once they had entered the surprisingly quiet clubhouse, Mercy realized that she had been silly to have been so anxious. There were only a handful of Happy’s biker pals in the bar/lounge area. Happy had explained that half the club was out on a charity ride, and the rest of the “brothers” were sleeping it off after a wild party. They only stopped long enough for Happy to make a few short introductions. Everyone was friendly, if not a little lethargic from hangovers. Then, Happy had taken her by the hand and taken her up two flights of stairs until they came to a moderately sized bedroom that very obviously belonged to him. His stuff was strewn around everywhere, and the full-size bed was unmade.

“Feel like tellin’ me what’s going on?” Happy sat down in the beaten to shit easy chair that sat next to the small window. He took Mercy by surprise when he pulled her to sit on his lap.

“Nothing major,” Mercy shook her head as she awkwardly perched on his lap. “My mom gets in these funny moods sometimes. She doesn’t like me very much when she’s in these moods.”

“Relax, little girl.” Happy put his hands on her hips and pulled her back to cuddle against his chest. Reaching one hand up, he cupped her cheek in his hand. “You want your birthday present, baby?”

Mercy’s heart warmed when Happy didn’t press her for more details. He tried to cheer her up instead. “Being with you is present enough for me,” she told him truthfully.

Happy chuckled, pulling her closer to gently kiss her. “Little girl, you say all the right things.”

“You act like I’m actually trying too.” Mercy giggled nervously as she cast her eyes down.

“I know you’re not trying, baby. That’s what makes you special.” Happy leaned in and kissed her throat. “Now you want your present or not?”

Mercy just nodded.

“The Sons are doing a club-wide coast-to-coast charity ride that’s gonna last a few weeks, and end January 1st in Florida,” Happy explained. “A lot of brothers are making it a couple’s ride. I was hoping you wanted to ride with me.”

“We’re a couple?” Mercy smiled shyly.

Happy just gave her a look that said, ‘duh.’

Mercy laughed. “I’d love to come.”


	10. Chapter 10

Happy took Mercy out to dinner at a Japanese steakhouse in downtown Tacoma for her birthday. After dinner, he took her on a ride out of town. When they got so far off the beaten path that there were no streetlights, he pulled into a long, winding driveway that was almost entirely hidden by foliage. When the bike finally rolled to stop, it was parked in front of a log cabin.

“Where are we?” Mercy took off her helmet and handed it to Happy.

Happy dismounted the bike and held out his hand to help her off. “I don’t live in the clubhouse, little girl. I just crash there sometimes.”

“This is your place?” She wasn’t sure why, but the deserted log cabin in the woods fit Happy.

Happy simply grunted in reply as he unlocked the front door. “You comin’, baby girl?”

Mercy jogged up the porch steps to catch up. “What are we doing here?” She asked as he closed and locked the front door. She took a look around the cabin’s main room. There was a small kitchen set up in one corner with a small round table and two chairs. On the opposite side of the room were a huge, boxy big screen TV, a wood-burning fireplace, and all bachelor pads' staple – a black leather couch and recliner.

“You’re birthday present is here.” As he walked past her, he gave her a playful, gentle push. She fell giggling onto the couch.

“I thought my present was going on the charity ride with you?” Mercy leaned forward to untie her boots so she could kick them off and get more comfortable. She hoped Happy wouldn’t mind her staying over because she had no desire to go home and deal with her mom.

“That’s only part of it,” Happy called down from the loft bedroom as he rummaged through his dresser.

When he returned to sit beside her on the couch, he handed her a small black velvet bag.

Mercy loosened the ties on the bag and dumped its contents into the palm of her hand. She now held a long silver chain, and at the end of the chain was a beautiful and expensive looking walk’s head pendant. The eyes were made from sapphires and the nose from onyx. “It’s beautiful, Happy.”

“Every Sons of Anarchy charter has our own symbol. The Tacoma charter – our symbol’s the grey wolf,” he explained.

“Marking your territory, Happy?” Mercy couldn’t keep the smile off of her face.

“Making sure you get the respect you deserve as my woman.” Happy confirmed. “Turn it over,” he ordered.

Mercy did as he told her, and she couldn’t hold in her gasp at the words engraved on the back of the pendant.

_*** PROPERTY OF THE TACOMA KILLA ***_

“I take it you’ve heard that name before?” Happy was studying her like he was watching to see how she reacted.

“Yeah,” Mercy nodded. “Does it mean what I’m scared it means?”

“It means I clean shit up for the club. Nothing more, and nothing less. I’m nothing like your pops, sweet girl.” His voice was serious and tight. It was as close to nervous as Mercy had ever heard him.

“You mean you do it for work and not as a hobby?” She couldn’t believe those words had left her mouth, but, to her, there was a massive difference between the two. Happy had warned her that he wasn’t innocent at the starting line. She had already been prepared for something like this.

“Pretty much,” Happy gave a single nod. “Sweet girl, I’d never hurt you. And I’m too smart and too careful to get caught.”

“Here.” Mercy handed him the necklace back and almost laughed when his face fell. She turned her back to him. “Are you going to put it on me or not, killa?”

Happy quickly secured the necklace on her neck before tapping her hip to get to turn back around. Once she had, he reached up and tangled his hand in her hair – he seemed to love that move – and pulled her mouth to his for a desperate kiss.


	11. Chapter 11

“Is it cool if I stay the night?” They were lying on the couch, watching a VHS tape of _‘The Mummy._ ’ Mercy was looking up at Happy from her place, cuddled up to his hard chest.

Happy gave her was of patented are-you-stupid looks. Then he tightened his arms around her waist. “You never gotta ask that question, baby girl. The answer’s always ‘fuck yes.’” He chuckled. “You will have to tell me when to take you back to your mom’s place though. I’m gonna avoid that shit like it’s the cops.”

Mercy giggled as she got comfortable again on his chest. She wondered if it meant anything that Happy had said, ‘your mom’s place,’ and not ‘home.’

“Mercy, baby?” Happy was lightly running his fingertips up and down her spine through her t-shirt.

“Yeah?” She was starting to space out, and she was only half-watching the movie.

“You’re a cherry, aren’t you?” Happy asked the question so casually that it was ridiculous.

Well, Mercy was wide awake now…and slightly frozen in terror. Happy clearly noticed when his girlfriend went stiff as a board on top of him. He didn’t say anything; he just hugged her to him tightly.

“Not many guys want to deflower the daughter of a serial killer,” was how Mercy answered the question.

“Good,” Happy shocked her by saying. For a moment, she was deeply hurt…and then Happy explained. “I don’t have to undo any damage caused by some unworthy punk who came before me. I get to treat you right straight out of the gate.” He kissed her forehead.

And Happy thought she said all the right things? To the outside world, he may be the big, bad biker, but behind closed doors, the man was Prince Charming in a kutte.

“We’re gonna wait until the charity ride,” Happy continued. “I want to do something special.”

The whore in Mercy’s head started doing the math to work out just how long she was gonna have to wait. The whore turned into a shocked nun when Happy once more changed the subject.

“I know your mom’s fucking nuts, but you can talk about him, you know. Your mom’s probably not down with that, but I am if you need to talk.” Happy’s tone had a reassuring huskiness to it.

Mercy sat up so she could turn at look at him in the eye. “You mean _him_ him?”

Happy sat up and nodded. He grabbed the remote control off of the coffee table and stopped the tape in the player.

Mercy didn’t know what to say. No one in her life had ever offered to listen to her talk about her father before. Her father had always been a taboo subject in her life, even when he was still alive. “He was never really out of my life. He kept in contact with me until he was executed when I was in the fourth grade.” She wasn’t sure why that was the first thing that she chose to share, but something amazing happened when she did. The heavy weight that always seemed to be on her chest eased up just a little.

“You loved him.” It wasn’t a question. It was a statement without an ounce of judgment.

Mercy felt the tears pool in her eyes, but she could do nothing to stop them from falling. “Of course I did. He was my daddy.” The dam that she had kept tightly sealed since 1989 finally burst.

She would never be able to explain it to someone who had not lived it, but sobbing into her boyfriend’s chest and thoroughly soaking his t-shirt was the best way she could have spent her birthday that year.

**Author's Note:**

> I’m originally from Florida, where I was born in the 80s. Bundy was used as the boogieman to keep children and teenagers from talking to strangers when I was a kid even though he was already on death row by the time I was born. In fact, he was executed shortly before I turned one. Morbid fact, the town I was born in was close enough to the prison where Bundy was executed that the lights in the town dimmed when the (no longer used) electric chair was fired up because it was drawing so much extra electricity. We moved to North Carolina when I was still very young, but my parents and older siblings lived in that town for over a decade. My mom remembered the lights dimming a total of 5 times, Bundy included, when she lived there. In fact, she remembered that it was so early in the morning that she hadn’t even gotten my older brothers and sister up for school yet. The only reason she was up was because apparently as a baby, I was a before the crack of dawn early riser. That habit did not last into my adult years.
> 
> This story is set in the late 90’s simply because I was feeling nostalgic for the year I first started writing.


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